


Day at Fallbridge

by altoinkblots



Series: Hugs Heal the Wounds Tears Leave Behind [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Asexual Male Character, Bisexual Female Character, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Making Friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:21:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23418154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/altoinkblots/pseuds/altoinkblots
Summary: Al gets a really good deal on tickets to a Renaissance fair/LARP-like place, and they have an extra ticket. Ed invites Winry along; and Ed, Al, Winry, and Rosé have a nice break from campus and life in general.
Relationships: Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric & Edward Elric & Winry Rockbell, Alphonse Elric & Rosé Thomas, Alphonse Elric & Winry Rockbell, Edward Elric & Rosé Thomas, Edward Elric & Winry Rockbell, Edward Elric/Winry Rockbell, Winry Rockbell & Rosé Thomas
Series: Hugs Heal the Wounds Tears Leave Behind [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1680922
Comments: 14
Kudos: 37





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> This got very, very long very quickly, so I had to split it up. Part two should be up by today/tomorrow. Enjoy!!

Winry’s phone pinged with a text from Ed. She hid it behind her laptop and opened the message. 

_ Hey, _ it started out,  _ my brother got a really good halloween deal on some tickets to fallbridge and we have one leftover, wanna join in?? Sorry that it’s short notice, the tickets are for tomorrow, but it’s only like 2 hours away and a friend of mine is willing to drive us and pick you up if you want to come. No pressure if you don’t want to, I can always drag ling along _

Winry slouched in her seat.  _ What time would you be picking me up?? _ she sent. It sounded fun, and after everything in her life crumbling and falling apart, it would be nice to get away from campus for a change. She would just have to plan her homework time accordingly.

It took a few minutes for him to respond, during which Winry did some Googling on Fallbridge. It was a choose-your-own adventure fantasy park that took place in ancient Xerxes. From what she gathered it was like a renaissance fair meets role-playing games. It looked fun, and like a well-needed break from, well, everything.

Her phone buzzed.  _ Al said around 7, _ Ed’s text read.  _ Park opens at 9 and he wants to get in line early because the tickets were expensive and he’s broke and I quote: “if I don’t get my money’s worth SOMETHING is getting set on FIRE and it’s going to be you” _

Winry covered her mouth with her hand to stifle the unholy mixture of giggles and snorts that would have come out of her mouth otherwise.  _ Sounds good to me!! _ she responded.

_ K see you then _

_ Can’t wait!!  _

Winry put her phone into her backpack and glanced up at the lecture slides, quickly typing down the notes before the professor moved to the next one. She had a thought and pulled her phone out.  _ How many people are coming??? _

The professor drawled on, explaining how the 1914 war with Xing affected the grain economy. Winry rolled her eyes. This was a history course, not a deep-dive analysis into the economic history of Amestris. And it was a gen-ed, no less; which made it even more painful. In the time since she had gotten the news about her parents, all she wanted to do was what  _ she _ wanted, not what the University required for her education. Yes, she loved the fact that she was getting higher education, but her entire world had changed in an instant, and she got a sinking feeling late at night, when she couldn’t sleep, that university learning wasn’t for her. It scared her a little, not knowing her path.

Her phone lit up in the palm of her hand with a text from Ed.  _ Four, _ it read.  _ Me, Al, and a friend of ours named Rosé. Al got a party deal on the tickets or something, idk _

Winry put her phone face-down, not in the mood to respond to him. Maybe she would, later, but right now she had a lecture to pay attention to and her existential worries to blatantly ignore.

Her phone buzzed again. She flipped it over, seeing the new text from Ed.  _ What building are you in rn?? My next class got canceled, so I thought I’d say hi _

Winry smiled a little bit. Ed was a good person, and a genuinely good friend. She didn’t know how he did it, but when she started spiraling, her phone would buzz and there would be a brand-new text from him, usually with a request to hang-out in person. Sometimes she said no, needing her own space, but she mostly said yes. They’d find somewhere on campus to sit and do their homework separately. If they didn’t have homework, or just wanted to ignore it, then they’d talk about anything and everything. Winry always looked forward to those. She hoped they would talk this time.

_ Business _ , she typed out.  _ Next to the life science building _

He responded with a thumbs-up emoji. 

The lecture dragged on for another thirty minutes, Winry making an effort to pay attention and ignore the notification buzzing on her phone. She wasn’t completely checked out of school, not yet. 

When the lecture ended, Winry practically flew out of the lecture hall and outside. Ed was already there, leaned up against a wall, furiously texting. “Hold on,” he said when she approached him, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “My brother wants to know everything about you.”

“Not everything, I hope,” said Winry. 

Ed rolled his eyes. “No, I’d never tell him the fact that you pick at your split ends when you’re hyper-focused on CAD models.”

Winry smacked his arm. “I do not have split ends.”

“Yuh-huh. Sure. Whatever you say, Winry.”

She rolled her eyes. “So what have you told him about me? His name is Al, right?”

Ed nodded, pushing off of the wall. He put his phone into his back pocket. “Just basic stuff. We met after I finished  _ Circle and Rise _ , have been hanging out almost every day for the past month, and that we went to a four-in-the-morning crisis McDonald’s trip. Not that I told him why -- I think he assumes I dragged you with me because my anxiety was acting up, but he knows.” They started walking; to where, Winry didn’t know.

She nodded, thoughtful. “It’s only fair he knows stuff about me after you told me some things about him,” she said, bumping into him with her shoulder. 

“I don’t think he cares, to be honest,” said Ed. “I just think he’s happy I’m making friends here. Besides you, Rosé is my only other one, and we’ve known each other since high school.”

“Oh?”

Ed nodded. “She was the president of our high school GSA. She took a lot of the underclassmen under her wing, and we’ve kept in touch ever since.”

Butterflies exploded in Winry’s stomach. “So, you’re…”

“Ace. And aro, as far as I know.” He glanced over at her, his golden ones almost brown in the shadow of his bangs “I haven’t had any confirmation otherwise, so that’s what I’m going with for now.”

Winry breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank goodness.”

Ed scrunched up his face. “What the hell does that mean?”

“I don’t know, I got really nervous there for a second!”

“ _ You _ got nervous? I was the one coming out!”

“Well, I’m bi if that makes you feel any better!” Winry’s face bloomed a bright red. “Sorry. I did not mean to come out like that. Like, obviously, I was going to come out to you  _ eventually _ , but life’s been a heaping trash fire and there wasn’t really a right time, and --” Ed burst out laughing. Winry’s face flushed an even deeper red. “What are you laughing at?” she asked, defensive.

“It’s nothing, really,” he said when he regained his breath, a little of the laugh still left over. “Just that… only you would come out while shouting at me. It really cheered me up.”

Winry’s face faded to an uncomfortable pink. “Well. Um, you’re welcome, I guess?”

Ed wrapped his arm around her shoulders. To them, physical intimacy wasn’t a big issue, not after that night. And Ed was definitely a cuddler and a little clingy when he got tired. 

“So,” said Winry, more than eager to change the subject. “What’s your friend Rosé like?”

Ed’s face lit up. “You’d really like her,” he said. “She’s super active with the queer community here on campus and organizes events all the time. Lately she’s been doing things to get the university to host a Pride event next semester, in April or something.”

“That’s cool,” said Winry. “I’ve heard about some of that here on campus, but I’ve always been too busy to go.”

“Me too,” said Ed. “Rosé nearly kills me every time I don’t show up.”

That made Winry laugh. 

“And she’s going into elementary ed. We’re actually walking at the same time and she absolutely hates it.”

Winry frowned. “I thought this was your second year?”

Ed nodded. “I took enough AP and college credit classes in high school to make me a junior by the time I came here.”

Winry sighed. “Of course you did. You’ll kill yourself by overworking. You know that, right?”

“You’re one to talk.”

“I do  _ not  _ overwork myself! You’re just mean!”

Ed started laughing again. Winry poked him in the gut, which only made him laugh harder. They made their way to the student center, with Winry glaring and Ed laughing almost the entire way. 

“I honestly don’t remember why I’m laughing in the first place,” he said. His phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket, cursing when he saw the text. Winry missed the weight and warmth on her shoulders. The early autumn weather was nice, but it was starting to get chilly. “I have to go, my roommate locked himself out of the dorm.”

“The one who climbs in and out of windows?”

He sighed. “That’s the one. Anyway, see you tomorrow at seven. Most likely seven-thirty because Rosé is never on time.” 

“See you then.”

Ed turned and left, waving at her from behind. Winry waved back, knowing he wouldn’t turn around, but she liked doing it anyway. 

* * *

Her alarm went off too early. She groaned, detangling her hand from her hair -- how had it even gotten there in the first place? -- and put it on snooze. It rang again, and again, and again and --

“Okay, I get it!” she cried, looking at her phone. Ed was calling her, for some reason. She answered it. “Yeah?”

_ “You ready to go? We’re in the parking lot with the small, grey car.” _

Oh  _ crap _ . 

She jumped out of bed, putting Ed on speaker. “Yeah, just gimme a sec,” she said, getting stuck trying to pull her shirt off. “What kind of shoes do you think I’ll need?”

_ “Good walking ones. Al has an itinerary a mile long --” _

_ “It is not!” _

_ “Yes it is!” _ Winry heard two people shout in the background.  _ “Anyway, how soon do you think you’ll be down?” _

Winry successfully pulled a clean-ish shirt on and threw the closest pair of pants on. She frantically combed her hair back into it’s usual ponytail with the sides down. “Not too long,” she said, tying her hair off. She started searching her room for socks. Socks, any pair of socks. 

_ “Okay, whenever you’re ready. And you might want to bring some cash, Rosé thinks they won’t accept cards for some reason.” _

“Will do,” she said, falling over while trying to put her socks on. Bra. She completely forgot about wearing a bra. She grabbed the closest one and slipped it on under her shirt. “See you soon.”

Ed hung up. 

_ Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap. _

Thankfully her running shoes were nearby. She shoved her feet into them, not caring that she flattened the heel, grabbed her purse, and flew out the door. She ran down three flights of stairs, checking to make sure she had everything and combing down her hair. She slammed the door to her building open and saw Ed, hanging out of the passenger-side window, waving at her. She waved back, and climbed into the seat behind him, next to who she assumed was his brother. He was built a little stockier than Ed, and his hair was much neater and a shade darker. The eyes were the same, though. Big and gold.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Al,” he said, holding his hand out to her. Winry buckled herself in and shook it.

“Winry.” She took her shoes off and put them on properly this time, double-knotting the laces.

The woman in the driver’s seat waved into the rearview mirror. She had darker skin, and her bangs were colored a bright, vibrant pink that went wonderfully well with her black hair. “I’m Rosé.”

“Everyone, this is Winry,” Ed said, turning around in his seat. Rosé drove the car out of the parking lot and onto the main road. “You excited?”

Winry half-heartedly shrugged. “I have no idea what to expect, to be honest.” She narrowed her eyes. “What are you wearing?”

Ed grinned. Winry glanced over at Al, noticing for the first time that the brothers were dressed extremely similar. Ed had a black tunic on with a red cloak and a cross-like symbol on the back. Al wore almost the exact same thing, except his tunic was a light grey. “We dressed up,” he said. 

“It was Ed’s idea,” said Al, grinning.

“It was both of ours.”

“They asked me to join in,” Rosé said. “I flat-out refused them because I’m not in the mood for making myself look like an idiot.”

“It’s a fully-immersive park!” Al exclaimed. “Ancient Xerxes meets medieval Amestris. What’s not to love about that?”

“Everything,” Rosé said with a grin. “Anyway, Winry. Why’d you agree to come along?”

“I needed to get off of campus for a little bit,” she said. 

“I completely understand the feeling,” Rosé said, turning onto the highway. “I work in the laboratory school, so half of my day is working with small kids. I love them to pieces, but it’s such a relief to be with people closer to my own age.”

Winry nodded. “I used to babysit all the time, so I get the feeling.”

“Hey, pass me the aux cord,” Al said. 

“There is no way in hell I am giving you the aux cord,” Ed said. “You can have it on the way back.”

“Come on, Ed. I have a playlist for this!”

“ _ Fine,” _ Ed groaned, passing a long, white cord to Al. “Play whatever you want.”

“Thanks, brother.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Winry glanced between the two, smiling. As an only child, she had always loved seeing siblings interact with each other. And this was a side of Ed she hadn’t had the chance to see yet. so she was excited. And, to be completely honest with herself, Rosé was kind of cute. 

The three of them talked as only old friends can, pulling Winry into the conversation whenever they could. She was never left out for long, but she couldn’t help but feel a little crestfallen when one of their inside jokes would come up. After two hours of constant chatter, Rosé pulled into the parking lot. 

“Damn,” Ed said, looking out the window at the full parking lot. “I guess Saturdays are busy.”

“Let’s hope we can find a parking spot,” Al said, craning his neck to look. “There’s a car pulling out! And back in; they were readjusting.”

“This is why I hate attractions like this,” Rosé grumbled. “If you see a potential spot, shout.”

They looked around, eyes trained on the cars that were moving in and out. 

“There!” Winry cried. “Blue minivan.”

“Gotcha,” Rosé said. “That spot is  _ mine _ .”

She turned her blinker on and sped up, getting to the spot ahead of three other cars. She grinned, and as soon as the minivan was out, she was parked and turning the car off, letting out a sigh of relief. She flung her hair over her shoulder, and it cascaded down behind her.

“Let’s go,” Al said, halfway out the car. Ed followed him. Rosé and Winry got out of the car at almost the same time. Ed and Al shared a mischievous glance before almost sprinting to the entrance of Fallbridge. Rosé hung back by Winry, the two of them walking a little bit slower. 

“Ed and Al can be a bit… much,” the other woman said. “They’re great, I love them to pieces, but they can sometimes forget other people exist when they get around each other.”

“I’ve noticed,” said Winry. “During the car ride, they’d get into tangents like they were the only people in the world.”

Rosé chuckled. “Yeah, that’s the Elric brothers for you. I really got to know them more when Al started high school, when I was a senior.”

Their steps crunched the gravel underneath them. Winry tucked her hair behind an ear, wishing she had brought a hat. The autumn sun beat down on them, still hot from the leftovers of summer. 

“So,” said Winry, a little awkward in Rosé’s presence. “Ed said you’re going into elementary ed?”

Her face lit up. “Yeah, but I’m thinking of going on for my master’s in special ed. I love those kids; no day is boring with them, and they’re some of the sweetest, kindest, funniest people I know. With any luck, I’ll be teaching in the next couple of years. What about you, Winry? Anything you’re extra passionate about?”

Winry faltered. “I’m not sure,” she said. “Right now, I’m in mechanical engineering, but I don’t think I’m going to be in that program for very long.”

Rosé nodded. “Not everyone can be like Al and Ed, knowing what they’ve wanted to do since they were kids. I actually didn’t settle into elementary ed until my junior year at the university.”

“Really?” Winry asked, intrigued. “What else did you do?”

“Let’s see… Piano performance, speech pathology, history, and… I completely forgot the other one. This is my fifth major; it’s a miracle I’m graduating on time.”

“How did you finally settle on elementary education?” Winry asked, hopeful that listening to Rosé’s experience switching majors might help her a little bit.

“The summer before my junior year I volunteered at a daycare program whose parents couldn’t afford regular daycare, and after my first day I just knew, y’know. But I resisted it at first, saying, ‘oh, everyone goes into elementary ed,’ and ‘teachers are overworked and underpaid,’ stuff like that. It wasn’t until I mentioned that to Ed that he smacked some sense into me and pretty much told me to go for it.”

“As only Ed can, of course,” Winry said with a smile. 

As if he knew they were talking about him, he turned around. “Did you say something?” he asked. 

“No!” Rosé and Winry exclaimed in unison. 

Ed squinted at them, then turned back to talking to Al. Rosé smiled. “He’s really something special, isn’t he?” she mused. “He forages ahead, with an almost tunnel-focused vision on what he wants, sweeping people up with him.”

“But he’s still there when you need him,” Winry said. “He’d put everything on hold just because you asked.”

“They both would. In very different ways, but those boys love their friends with everything they have, and it shows.”

“It almost feels like I’ve known Ed far longer than I actually have,” said Winry, folding her arms into herself. 

Rosé looked over at her. “I can tell,” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, that’s a good thing. He needs more friends that aren't me or Al.”

Winry raised her eyebrows. “I’m one of his only friends?”

She nodded. “As far as I know. He’s definitely been happier these past few weeks. Almost as if connecting with other humans is a positive experience.”

Winry laughed. “That is just so  _ Ed _ . Well, I’m definitely… I wouldn’t say  _ happier _ , because of certain things that have happened lately, but I’m definitely better for it. I certainly wouldn’t be coping as well as I am if he wasn’t in my life.”

“I know exactly what you mean.” How Rosé said it, with so much weight and history in her voice, Winry couldn’t help but wonder how Ed had helped buoy her up.

They reached the front gates and pushed past some people to get to Ed and Al.

“Took you guys long enough,” said Al. “Here are your tickets.” He handed a ticket to Rosé and Winry each. Ed was rubbing the perforated edge of his around his chin and jaw. 

“They said there was a fifteen-minute wait to get into the park,” said Ed. “Could be longer.”

Winry looked behind her and winced. The line was well into the parking lot by now. 

“Guess people knew about the ticket sale,” Al mumbled. “Dang it.”

“What was the ticket sale on?” asked Winry. “Ed never told me.”

“It was a party pack: buy four tickets for the price of one.”

Winry blinked. “That is a  _ really _ good sale.”

Al grinned. “Still broke, though.”

“I can pay you back --”

“Don’t even think about it. I get paid next week, anyway.”

“But still --”

“Winry, I’m pre-med. I’m going to be in debt for the rest of my life, so I might as well get used to it now.”

“Cheers to that,” Ed said with a grin.

Rosé punched Ed in the upper arm. He glared at her, but didn’t move. Winry’s eyes darted between the three of them, a faint smile playing at her lips. 

The line started moving, and true to Al’s word, they were inside Fallbridge. As soon as they stepped past the main gate, security, and checking in their tickets, the sound of fiddles and bagpipes overcame them. Dozens of people milled about, some in everyday clothing, others in full-out costumes and makeup. Al picked up a general park guide. 

“Okay,” he said. “From what I read online, we can go and do these quests to get prizes and interact with the cast members, we can go and solve mysteries and puzzles, or we can just see what happens.”

Ed looked between Winry and Rosé. “What do you guys think?”

Winry and Rosé looked at each other. 

“I’m fine with anything,” said Winry. 

“I wouldn’t mind going around and chatting with some of the cast members,” Rosé said. “But I think we’d do that anyway.”

Just then, a woman approached them. She had olive green hair with various autumn leaves woven in, and her clothing reminded Winry of a fairy. “Can I help you?” she asked in a light, musical accent. 

“We’re just trying to figure out what we want to do,” said Al.

The woman clapped her hands excitedly, grinning from ear to ear. “There is so much to do here! You can go by the Weeping Meadows, or you can escape from the Dark Lord’s tower, and my personal favorite: fencing.” She flung her green hair behind her. “I may not look it, but I’m the best fencer from the realm of Eurhan. Oh, where are my manners? My name is Rella. What are yours?”

“Alphonse,” said Al. 

“I’m Edward.”

Rella clapped her hands together again. “You must be brothers! It is so nice to meet you both.”

“Yeah, we are,” said Al with a grin. 

“I can see it in your eyes,” she said. “You share a similar energy. And you two lovely ladies?”

“My name is Rosé,” she said, shifting her weight. “It’s so nice to meet you, Rella.”

Rella tittered. “The pleasure is all mine.” She turned to Winry. “And you?”

“Winry,” she said, waving her hand in a small hello. 

Rella winked at her. “Lovely name for a lovely lass.” She turned to Ed and Al. “I couldn’t help but notice, do you hail from Xerxes, by any chance?”

“Actually, we do,” said Al. 

Rilla frowned, humming. “I’ve heard some terrible, terrible tales about the king there.” She leaned close to them. “I’ve heard he’s been messing with blood magic.” She shuddered. “What a dark, and terrible, magic to use. I’ve never liked it much myself.”

“I thought Xerxes used alchemy,” said Ed. “They have alchemical symbols all over the place in the architecture, and even in their clothing.”

Rilla nodded. “That they do, Edward. That they do. But the king is old, and…” She covered her mouth with her hands. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t say such things.” She turned to Rosé and Winry. “It was a pleasure to meet you all. Goodbye!”

And with that, she was gone as fast as she arrived. 


	2. Part Two

Ed and Al looked at their companions, eyebrows raised, their now-signature mischievous glint in their eyes giving their plans away. “What do you say we head over to the Xerxes ruins?” Ed asked. “Poke around a bit.”

“It’s not too far from here,” said Al, pointing on the map.

Rosé looked at the map. “Yeah, on the other side of the park.”

Winry poked between Rosé and Ed to take a look at the map. “We can stop by a couple of these little attractions on our way there.”

“I agree with Winry,” said Ed. “Let’s make our way there, but not too fast. We still have Al’s itinerary to go through.”

Al glowered at his brother, but didn’t say anything. 

“I’m fine with that,” said Rosé. “Lead the way, Al.”

The four of them fell into step with each other. Winry was quick to point out the different prosthetics and costumes people were wearing, while Ed and Rosé gushed over the architecture. They ran into a man with rose-colored glasses and actual candles on a top hat, with the wax dripping onto the brim. There was a bartender, at one of the many places to stop and grab a quick snack, who had an impressive burn scar over half of his face, telling the story of how he fought a dragon to a captive audience. There was a blacksmith that Winry dragged them to, and Ed had to pull her away from there, otherwise she would have stared at the two blacksmiths molding iron to fit their wills in furnaces so hot she could feel the heat on her face. There was a library, run by an old woman with little spectacles on her nose, that Ed wandered through, his fingers reverently brushing against the spines of the books. Rosé disappeared for about ten minutes, but when they found her she was talking animatedly to one of the ghosts about the afterlife and different theological bases for it. 

Winry was the first one to see the fencing attraction, and before she knew it, Ed and Al were facing each other off. It was a close fight, but Al pulled out triumphant. After it was over, Ed rolled his eyes, claiming he had never won a fight against Al in his entire life and he wasn’t likely to start now. Al only laughed, but he didn’t deny it. 

The atmosphere changed the second they stepped into the Xerxes portion of the park. They had definitely drawn inspiration from the ruins of Xerxes themselves, but this version was lively and vibrant. Plants hung from every outcropping; cast members played lutes and wore long, white robes; and dozens of people milled around them. Ed and Al put their hands on their hips, mirroring each other. 

“Where should we start?” asked Al. “Rilla said something was going on with the king, but it’ll be hard to get to him right away.”

“We should talk to some of the people,” said Winry. “If any stories have popped up, they’ll know about it.”

Ed snapped his fingers. “Good idea, Winry.”

“We can also split up and see what we gather separately,” Rosé offered. 

“Ooh, yeah, good point there.”

“I’ll go with Rosé,” said Al.

Her face fell for a split second; but as soon as it was gone, she replaced it with a cheerful smile. “Let’s hit the bars, Al,” she said. The two of them walked off together. 

Winry linked her arm through Ed’s. “Where do you think we should start?”

He thought for a moment. “Well, Rosé and Al are checking out the taverns… We could try the --”

“The musicians,” Winy said at the same time.

Ed bumped his shoulder against hers. “Great minds think alike.”

“But fools seldom differ,” Winry said with a grin. 

Ed narrowed his eyes. “Calling yourself a fool there?”

“Depends.”

“On what?”

“If you’re the fool.”

He rolled his eyes. “Come on,” he said, dragging her behind him to the nearest group of musicians. She only offered minimal resistance. They waited for the set to end before approaching them. “What can you tell us about the king?”

Winry rolled her eyes. 

The three musicians blinked, their eyes the same vibrant gold as Ed’s. They glanced at each other. “Well, he’s the king,” one of them said hesitantly. 

“He’s a good king.”

“Wonderful king.”

“Great king.”

Ed held up a hand. Winry butted in. “Is there anything… odd going on with him? Anything that you as citizens are worried about?”

The musicians glanced at each other again. “You promise you won’t tell?”

Ed and Winry nodded. “Promise,” she said.

The shortest of them stepped forward, urging Ed and Winry to lean in close. “I’ve heard things. Terrible things. I can’t repeat them myself, but you can find them in the alchemist’s laboratory.” He looked around him. “But you didn’t hear it from me!” He joined his two companions, and they started up a new set again. 

Ed and Winry stepped away, then looked at each other. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he asked.

Winry grinned. “We find the alchemist’s laboratory.”

A smile split across his face. “Who’s the fool now?” he asked, then disappeared into the crowd. 

Winry groaned and followed him as he weaved in and out between the people. A few minutes later they stood in front of a small, squat building. “Is this it?” Winry asked.

Ed nodded and stepped inside, Winry following suit. 

It was a small room, lit by three torches flickering in the wall sconces. A small table was in the center of the room, with papers littering the surface. There was a plush chair behind the table, pushed far enough away to give the appearance that whoever the alchemist was, they were coming back. 

“Where do you think they are?” asked Winry. 

Ed walked over to the table and rifled through some of the papers. He snorted.

“What?” asked Winry.

He held up the piece of paper. “They balanced this wrong,” he said. 

Winry rolled her eyes. Leave it to Ed to nit-pick everything. Something sparkled against the torchlight, catching her eyes. “What’s this?” she asked, going to the corner and picking it up. It was a pocket watch that had a mythical creature on the front, outlined by a geometric pattern and a laurel wreath around the bottom. 

“Let me see that,” said Ed. Winry handed the pocket watch over. He tried to open it, but it was stuck. “Could it be a clue or something?”

“Let me try,” said Winry. She got her fingernails between the crease and tried popping it open, but it wouldn’t budge. “Weird,” she said. She examined it, but it seemed like an everyday pocket watch.

The door opened, making Winry and Ed jump. A man stepped inside, with his blond hair pooled around his shoulders, and strands of hair covering his spectacles. and a golden beard covering the lower half of his face. Like every other cast member in the Xerxes portion of Fallbridge, he wore long, cream-colored robes. When he saw them he froze, his eyes wide. 

“Are you the alchemist?” Ed asked. 

The man blinked. 

“We’re here investigating what the king is doing,” said Winry.

The man looked between Ed and Winry, his hands shaking ever so slightly. He closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, then opened them.

“The king?” he said in a deep voice that was a little rough around the edges. He walked over to the table. “Ah, yes, you’re here for the king. Many people have come to my door, asking for what I know, but none have escaped with the knowledge I hold.”

“We know he’s using blood magic, or something of the sort,” said Ed, using the information Rilla had given them. “And people said to come and ask you.”

“Me? What do I know of such things? I am a man of science.”

“And as a man of science, you understand the need of every scientist to learn as much as they can in the time given to them.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You speak from experience.”

“I… yes.”

“Then I am more inclined to tell you what I know. For a price.”

Winry narrowed her eyes. “What kind of price are we talking about?”

The man stood up straight and walked over to Winry. “Something of equal value to the information I may or may not give you.”

Winry held up the pocket watch, watching as it dangled from her hand. “Will this do?”

The man blinked. “Where did you find that?”

Winry gestured to the corner where she found it. “It was just lying there.”

He reached out to snatch it from Winry, but she pulled it out of his reach at the last second. “Tell us what you know, and I’ll give this to you.” She pointedly ignored Ed, who was busy fighting a smile off of his face, keeping her focus on the alchemist in front of her. 

He narrowed his eyes, the torchlight bouncing off of his spectacles. “The king is looking for a way to become immortal,” he said, his voice quiet and low. “He has asked me for my help, but he’s blinded by his closest advisor, a man with no name. They’re going to great lengths to do this, and I cannot help but worry for the fate of the kingdom.” He picked a piece of paper off of the table. “Here is where you need to go. I don’t know how they are planning on making the king immortal, but I do know it means nothing good.”

Winry dangled the pocket watch in front of him again. He reached for it, and Winry let him take it. Winry and Ed walked to the door, paper in hand, when the alchemist called out: “Wait!”

They turned around. 

“It was nice to see you both,” he said.

“Um, you too,” said Ed. “Come on, Winry.”

She waved at the alchemist, who waved back, and followed Ed out the door.

“I just got a text from Al; him and Rosé found some clues. We’re meeting them by the Dancing Dragon, apparently.”

Winry smacked her forehead. “Al took the map.”

Ed groaned. “You’re right, we’re idiots. I’ll tell him to meet us here.” He pulled out his phone and started texting Al.

“I can’t believe neither of us thought to take a picture, or look at it, or even steal it from him.”

“It’s not like he needs it. He memorized the layout of the park months before he bought the tickets.”

Winry raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

Ed grinned. “Yeah, he’s been wanting to come for months.”

“ _ Just  _ him?”

Ed rolled his eyes. “No, not  _ just _ him; I’ve been looking forward to this too. We don’t get to see each other a lot these days, with me going to Central and him going to Woodside. We’ve been through a lot, y’know? And it hasn’t been the easiest by myself. I’m fine on my own, but he’s my little brother. I’m allowed to miss him.”

Winry linked their arms together. “At least you have today.”

Ed snorted. “And he took the damn map so we can’t even find him.”

Winry laughed, huddling closer to Ed. Even though it was a nice day, the occasional breeze came along, and Ed was almost like a furnace, even through various layers. Ed shifted, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and resting his head on top of hers. “When do you think they’ll show up?” he mused.

Winry mumbled a non-committal response, not really wanting Al nor Rosé to show up just yet. Yes, it was a day for Ed and Al to see each other, but Winry liked having the familiar weight of Ed’s arm around her shoulders. She wrapped her arm behind him, resting it on his lower back. He shifted his head, scrunching up her hair, but she didn’t mind too much. He was in the perfect spot to block the autumn breeze, instead forcing it to dance around the two of them. 

“I think I see them,” said Ed, lifting his head and taking his arm away. He waved at two figures -- Al and Rosé, Winry saw now that Ed pointed them out to her -- and she shoved both of her hands into her pockets. 

“What did you guys find out?” Rosé asked when her and Al got closer. 

“Met someone called ‘the alchemist,’ got this piece of paper, and talked to some musicians,” said Ed. “You guys?”

Al grinned. “We found the name of the guy who is helping the king become immortal.”

“Really?” Winry asked. “Who?”

“Otanes.”

Rosé took the piece of paper from Ed. “This looks like a puzzle or something.”

Al grabbed the piece of paper from her. “It’s a maze!” he cried. “If we lay it over the map of the park --”

“It’ll get us to where the next clue is,” Ed finished. “Let me see that.”

Al gave him the map, and Ed puzzled over it for a few minutes. He asked for the map, which Al gave him, and placed the piece of paper over the map. “Got it,” he said. “Follow me?”

“How did he do that?” asked Winry.

“He’s a genius,” said Rosé. “Literally.”

Winry shook her head.

Ed led them throughout Xerxes, using the maze and park map to guide them through. They went through back alleys, through the middle of a street fair, past a souvenir shop, and to the base of a tower. 

“This is it,” he said, handing the map back to Al. 

“I think we should look for Otanes,” said Rosé.

Al pointed to a figure dressed in black, hooded clothing. “I think he found us.”

The figure limped towards them. “Find what you’re looking for?” he snarled. 

“Yes,” said Winry, not entirely sure what he was talking about. 

The figure turned to glare at her. “I am Otanes, keeper of this tower. What do you offer me?”

Ed groaned. “Not this again.”

“It is the law! For everything given, something of equal value must be lost.”

“Yes, that’s called algebra.”

Otanes cackled. “Tell me what you seek, then.”

Al grinned. “You. You are the same Otanes who is telling the king there is a way to achieve immortality? The same Otanes who, if my memory serves, ordered the attack on the small village of Fallbridge?”

“You have no proof!” he screeched. 

“Yes we do,” said Ed, holding up the maze, and flipping the paper over. On it was a bunch of nonsensical gibberish. “These are various alchemical symbols, but the only two repeating ones are the ones for lead and gold.”

“Which, when it concerns alchemy,” Al continued, “are two very important symbols. Because isn’t it alchemist’s one goal to turn lead into gold, to find a source of immortality through the philosopher’s stone?”

Otanes growled. “Fine. Yes. It was I who caused the attack on Fallbridge, it was I who ordered the alchemist be sent into hiding. The king is just a puppet, it is I who is truly in charge!”

Al grinned. “Thanks, by the way.”

“For what?”

Al turned to Rosé and Winry. “You ready?”

Rosé grinned. “Let’s get this information back. You’ve been a real help, Otanes.”

“Who? Who? Who are you going to tell about this? Who will believe you?”

“Let’s go,” Al whispered, leading them away.

“What was that all about?” asked Winry.

“We ran into the king’s daughter, who wanted proof that Otanes was the one poisoning her father’s mind,” said Al. “We just didn’t know how to find him; but now that we have, all we need to do is tell her what he just told us, and then we’re done.”

Winry blinked. “Wow. That was really impressive, you two. Bouncing off of each other like that?”

Ed and Al grinned at each other.

* * *

Winry held two plates of funnel cake in her hands and walked over to where Rosé was waving her over. The sun had set hours before, and once they told the king’s daughter what Otanes said, they wandered around Fallbridge. The day was supposed to end with a firework’s show, which Winry was excited for. The only time she really ever saw fireworks was on Amestris Day.

“Thanks,” said Rosé when Winry handed her a funnel cake. “The boys went to grab some drinks or something.”

Winry shrugged. “I’m not terribly worried. They know where we are, and you’re the one driving us home.”

Rosé grinned. “You’re a really cool person, Winry.”

“Oh, um, thanks?”

Rosé threw her head back and laughed. “Mind if I get your phone number?”

“Sure,” said Winry. Rosé pulled out her phone and gave it to Winry. She typed the number in and gave it back. “I did like meeting you, by the way. You did help me with some things, which was nice.”

“What things?”

Winry leaned back and took a bite of the funnel cake, powdered sugar falling all over her lap. “Well, what you said earlier about how you’re on your fifth major. It made me realize that I don’t have to have my entire life planned out right this second.”

Rosé nodded. “It took me a while to figure that out too, but when I did, everything just clicked.”

Ed and Al came back, each holding two water bottles and talking to each other about something, completely engrossed in their conversation.

“I see what you mean,” said Winry.

“What who means?” asked Al.

“Nothing,” said Winry and Rosé at the same time. 

“Shush,” said Ed, plopping down next to Winry, Al on his other side. “The fireworks are about to start.” He stole a piece of Winry’s funnel cake, popping the section into his mouth before she could smack his hand. 

“Fine,” she said when he reached out for another piece, “we can split. But I get the bigger half.”

“Obviously,” he said with his mouth full.

Winry rolled her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder as the fireworks started, exploding dots of light thundering through her bones as the other people at Fallbridge cheered and clapped.

Ed grabbed another piece of funnel cake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for getting through this monstrosity; it was a lot of fun to write, but it was a lot. I'm not entirely sure when the next part of the series is going to show up; but it won't be too long, I promise. Leave a kudos/comment if you liked it!!

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed part one of this little adventure. Leave a comment/kudos if you liked it. Thanks!!


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